And Death
by WolfPilot06
Summary: Inspired by orin's fanart on LJ.  All things must come to an end.  Angst, major character death, faint SasuNaru, mostly gen.


**Title:** And death

**Author:** WolfPilot06

**Pairing:** SasuNaru, ish.

**Warnings:** Angst, angst, angst, major character death, and out-of-practice writer on the rampage.

**Notes:** This was inspired by lj-user orin's wonderful, beautiful, terribly sad SasuNaru fanart, which you can view and croon over at her journal. I'm terribly, _terribly_ out of practice, but oh – it was so _sad_, and nothing primes my writing pump quite as well as a good ol' dose of angst.

Also, just so you know, I've actually finished the latest chapter of _Falling is Like This_, and I even posted it over at the sasuxnaru community back in July/August, but then I decided I didn't really like it, which is why you haven't seen it yet. I'll post it here when I'm satisfied with the re-write. I also posted another fic, _Rendezvous_, there in July, but I don't think it's really good enough to be posted here (which is silly); also, it's rather limey/lemony, and I have no desire to test the limits of the censors' patience.

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The forest stretched vast and silent around them, the echoes of hard-fought battle soon fading into silence, absorbed by the heavy, moss-laden branches that curled about ancient tree trunks and stretched up into the impenetrable treetops. In the growing darkness, Sasuke could barely make out the trail of destruction their cataclysmic battle had torn through the antediluvian growth, Uchiha Madara's body a pale form lying twisted and broken among the gnarled, sprawling roots far below.

The niggling part of him that demanded perfection and caution prickled at the edges of his weary consciousness, urging him to go down and finish what he and Naruto had began, to ensure that the twice-dead legendary founder of the Uchiha clan _remained_ dead once and for all, but a far greater portion of his mind was simply relieved that the fight was over. Doubtless, the straggling remainders of Akatsuki's forces were being sopped up by Konoha shinobi as they waited, but for Naruto and Sasuke, the greatest battle had already ended.

He was too tired to startle when Naruto chuckled suddenly from beside him, slumping slowly down the tree trunk to sprawl against the trunk with careless grace, and cracked one bright blue eye open in a lazy grin.

"Why is it, Sasuke," he drawled, his words slurred together in exhaustion but none the less amused for it, "That you don't seem to be able to keep your shirt on through a fight?"

Sasuke automatically glanced down at his bare torso before scowling at Naruto, though the expression was more an automatic response than made out of any true irritation. When Naruto did nothing more than smile cheekily up at him, he raked his dark eyes up and down his rival's body, taking in the deep tears in Naruto's beloved flame-edged coat – consciously styled after his late father's famous wardrobe – and the dried trickle of blood tracing from Naruto's temple around the curve of his cheek.

"I find it more comfortable," he retorted. It was strange, this easy camaraderie with Naruto, somehow unchanged despite all they'd been through together and apart. Tentatively, he felt his way towards familiar ground word-by-word, treading carefully around the jagged holes in their odd relationship and striving towards that familiar place where he could push at Naruto and expect nothing more than fond frustration in return. "It's more practical when _they_ come out."

Something flickered in Naruto's eyes, and Sasuke recognized it as the anger and guilt that always surfaced whenever he referenced his days with Orochimaru, the changes time and the Snake Sannin had wrought in him, both wanted and unasked-for. Uncomfortable with the sudden way blue eyes sharpened and focused on him, he turned to gaze into the dark undergrowth and realized that it was beginning to grow chilly with the oncoming night.

"Hm," said Naruto, and Sasuke saw he had leaned his head back against the trunk and closed his eyes when he chanced a look, "And I suppose you think the bandages are stylish."

Sasuke snorted, the corners of his mouth threatening to twitch into a smile, glad that Naruto wasn't pushing the issue as he had before. He didn't want to hear apologies from Naruto, not now, so soon after they'd proven what others had said about them all through the years – that by themselves, they were forces to be reckoned with, but together, they were _unstoppable_. It was a weird feeling to find himself relying on Naruto's ever-present strength, to offer his might as a support for his rival, but he found himself strangely not caring.

"At least I don't think that forehead protectors make good belts," he retorted, and was surprised when all Naruto did was laugh tiredly in response, his eyes sliding shut. "Oi, _idiot_. Don't fall asleep. I'm not carrying your ass back to the village. Sakura will probably think I did something indecent to you."

At that, Naruto shook himself slightly, shaking his head in a way that seemed almost dazed – only, Naruto wasn't one to keep quiet if he wasn't feeling well. In the past, he'd always been the one who complained most loudly about the tiniest scratches received during missions, although they healed almost instantaneously, because eventually _someone_ would have to pay attention to him, even if it was only to smack him to shut him up.

"_Konohamaru_," the blond muttered incomprehensibly, somehow managing to look both sheepish and indignant at the same time. Sasuke looked at him blankly, to which he responded, "He gave her _ideas_."

Sasuke decided he didn't really want to know. Considering what he knew of Naruto's juvenile protégé, asking for clarification would doubtless be dangerous for his health.

"_So tired_," Naruto sighed again, his eyes closing once more. He stirred slightly when Sasuke prodded him with one irritated foot and dragged his eyelids open slowly. The look in his eyes froze Sasuke, an overpowering mixture of relief, agony, happiness, grief, guilt, anguish, and exhaustionthat threatened to take his breath away. "Just let me sleep for a bit, could you? I just need to rest up before Sakura-chan beats me up for getting hurt so badly." He laughed, but the sound was so, so tired, it wrung Sasuke's heart to hear it. Sasuke tried to ignore Naruto's rapidly paling complexion, counting it off to the dimming light and the fact that the fight had taken much out of both of them.

"Okay," he murmured, "But just for a little bit. I'm waking your ass up in fifteen minutes and dragging you back to Konoha whether or not you've gotten enough beauty sleep, alright?"

"Yes, Mama Sasuke," Naruto mock-groused and grinned faintly when Sasuke just grumbled and settled back on his heels to wait. A deep, quavering sigh issued from Naruto's lips as his gaze slid shut, and he seemed almost to meld into the trunk, tension seeping almost visibly from his limbs as Sasuke watched.

For a long moment, Sasuke thought Naruto had already fallen asleep, so still he was. After a moment, though, without opening his eyes, Naruto sighed again.

"Thanks, Sasuke," he said quietly. Sasuke reached out and brushed the back of his hand lightly with his fingertips.

"Just go to sleep, Naruto," his voice hitched slightly, and he roughened his tone in an attempt to hide it. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Another soft exhale of breath, and Naruto slipped into unconsciousness, a faint smile still curving his lips.

For a long time, Sasuke simply watched. Around them, the silence cooled and was broken by the tentative sounds of creatures venturing back into the forest, dusk settling ponderously upon the wilderness. Naruto was a pale splash of yellow hair and faintly glowing skin in the dimming sunlight that filtered through the treetops, the scuffed, orange length of his coat framing him against the mossy expanse of the tree trunk. A faint breeze riffled through the leaves, almost sighing, and caressed along the bare skin of Sasuke's back, sending shivers down his spine. Briefly, he considered resting beside Naruto and leaning into the warmth of his coat, but he dismissed the idea, not quite willing to surrender the sight of Naruto lying trusting and relaxed before him, inexplicably dark lashes fanning against his cheeks as he slept. Fifteen minutes came and went, but Sasuke stayed crouched against the impending nighttime, guarding his companion's slumber.

Eventually, Sasuke realized that it had been a long time since he'd last seen Naruto's chest rise and fall. With the realization came the numb observation that the slackness of Naruto's jaw was due to more than simple slumber. For a long moment, he knelt, the rough bark biting through the thin material of his pants, too afraid to reach out and touch Naruto.

When he finally stretched forth a trembling hand and caressed Naruto's face, he found himself strangely unsurprised by the coolness of Naruto's skin, tracing the faint whisker marks carved into each cheek automatically. Gently, he patted Naruto's cheek, sliding his fingers into blond tresses and stopping there, horrified when he found himself unable to proceed because of the thick clots of blood that had congealed at the back of Naruto's skull, hidden where even Sasuke's Sharingan-sharpened gaze had been unable to penetrate.

"You stupid idiot," he whispered, and reached forward to cup the other side of Naruto's face, "You promised you'd wake up. You fucking _liar_."

Shuddering, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Naruto's, feeling a horrible ache building in his chest as he trembled and felt his face grow strangely hot, his breath short and ragged as he struggled to breathe past the leaden weight in his throat. At first, he wondered if he'd taken ill, if somehow he, too, had been struck by a mortal blow that he only now was noticing –

- but then he realized that for the first time in years, he was crying.

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The End

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Comments and criticism deeply loved, adored, and kept in a little box to gestate.

Wolf


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